This is a question that kicks off the historically mystic
journey that is Spiritual Shackles. Set primarily in Pasadena,
California in the 1950s, this novel sets out to answer this question. However,
Spiritual Shackles takes you on a sensory-pleasing journey, from
California to Brazil, before one ends up with the answer.

Spiritual Shackles is not so much a novel, but
rather a series of vignettes that are artfully sewn together to create a rich
backdrop against which the church-burning question resides. Clyde ’CJ’ Johnson,
Jr. is a recovering alcoholic reporter who is determined to get back to the top
of his reporting game and scoop the story on who is burning local black churches
in Pasadena. One of his sources, Tulsa Jim, gives CJ clues that take him on a
path of self-discovery that leads him to Roxanne, his future wife. CJ, Roxanne
and their eventual offspring are all drawn together by the presence and love of
a local conjure woman known as Mama Vye. Mama Vye is the subject of much
speculation and fear within the black Pasadena community that CJ dubbed ’Ebonyville’;
not only does she live in a house and on land that her family has outright owned
for decades, no small feat during a time when blacks barely had the right to
vote, but Mama Vye also has four foster children with dubious origins. CJ and
Roxanne's children, along with Mama Vye's foster children, will eventually
create a powerful political and spiritual force that will change the very fabric
of the lives of black Pasadena citizens.

As CJ follows clues that will eventually lead him to the
identity of the church arsonist he, as well as the reader, engages in a journey
that forces him to study his family history more closely. Each clue spins off
into the back story of another character, and it is only within yet another clue
that it is obvious how the characters are interconnected both with each other
and with the overall quest to discover who is burning black Pasadena churches.
While showing these bonds the author displays them against a rich Afrocentric
historical background that is not only entertaining, but informative. The
presentation of such history and facts is enough to give the reader incentive to
do some research on his or her own.

One flaw with this novel is that there is sometimes an
overemphasis on metaphor and imagery. It was due to such literary license that
the answer to the question of who burned the churches, was not as easy to figure
out. The author tends to be a bit heavy-handed at times on the
mystical/spiritual subplot of the story, which causes the characters to
occasionally engage in trite, long-winded internal monologue. Also, for those
who prefer their novels to be a bit more linear and straightforward, the
circular pattern of the novel may be a deterrent. However, Spiritual
Shackles contains enough drama, history, folklore, suspense, and romance to
satisfy readers of all genres. don't let the size of the book or the price
deter you from picking up one of the most intriguing books I have read to date.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to Mr. Jumal's upcoming works.